KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University baseball team welcomed another strong opponent to North Campus Field on Friday afternoon, falling victim to the 22nd-ranked East Stroudsburg Warriors by scores of 6-2 and 4-0 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference action.
 
The Golden Bears (13-28, 6-16 PSAC East) faced another tough set of starters from the Warriors (32-9, 16-5 PSAC East) after a similarly difficult test against No. 10 Millersville last weekend. Kutztown had their chances, with six hits coming in the first game and a one-out, bases-loaded opportunity early in the second game, but neither amounted to much as KU put up just two combined runs in the end.
 
Game 1: No. 22 East Stroudsburg 6, Kutztown 2
 
Tyler Cleveland (Pillow, Pa./Upper Dauphin) (L, 1-3) got in trouble early, allowing six runs on seven hits before leaving with one out in the third. While Evan Krippel (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) entered in relief and pitched 4.2 innings of shutout baseball that gave Kutztown a runway to score, they could only muster up a pair of runs, struggling against Ryan Dewees (W, 7-1) for most of the game.
 
Left fielder Bo Barthol (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland) went 2-for-4 but couldn't get across the plate in the leadoff spot. Cam Burr's (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg) fourth-inning RBI double was one of just two runs in the game, the other coming from right fielder Dalton Furst (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) in the sixth inning. Shortstop Nick Varda (Columbia, Md./Atholton) was walked twice and added a hit to his strong outing, but he couldn't reach home in defeat.
 
Dewees kept the Golden Bears on their heels, going six innings while allowing five hits over 73 pitches. ESU right fielder Dennis Pierce went 4-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and a pair of runs scored, coming a double short of the cycle on the afternoon. The Warriors had 11 hits to Kutztown's six, while all six runs came in the opening three frames.
 
Game 2: No. 22 East Stroudsburg 4, Kutztown 0
 
In a much tighter affair, the Warriors once again emerged victorious, riding the performance of Peyton Brannock (W, 6-1) to their third straight win. The sophomore threw five innings of shutout baseball while allowing just three hits and striking out five. ESU managed to cap off their scoring early in the game, and the Kutztown offense couldn't find a way to respond in the latter game.
 
Third baseman Drew Wheeler (Waxhaw, N.C./Marvin Ridge) accounted for two of the team's four hits, while Varda reached with a hit and a walk. Cody Barberio (Green Lane, Pa./Quakertown) (L, 2-4) went five innings and threw 96 pitches, while Aidan Myers (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) finished the final two innings while just allowing one hit. The Golden Bears were able to tame the bats of their opponent, but they couldn't get themselves across the plate in the end.
 
The Golden Bears travel to the Poconos to face the Warriors in a two-game set at Creekview Park tomorrow, April 26, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. Read Full Article